Victor Manuel Vucetich reflects on Monterrey’s chaotic 5-2 defeat to Pachuca

Monterrey fell 5-2 to Pachuca in their chaotic first-leg match of the 2022 Liga MX Apertura semi-final series on Thursday, leaving head coach Victor Manuel Vucetich feeling “angry and helpless.”

Pachuca earned the initial lead with a goal from Nicolas Ibanez, before Rayados equalized the score only seven minutes later. It became a game of catch up for the visitors, with Luis Romo canceling out Romario Ibarra’s strike to secure the 2-2 draw heading into halftime. 

But the second 45 saw a different story. 

Pachuca found the back of the net seconds after the whistle, exerting their dominance. And as frustrations grew high on the pitch for Rayados, right-back Erick Aguirre committed a foul that left the team down to 10 men. 

Despite the disadvantage, Monterrey continued to push forward, until a foul by goalkeeper Oscar Ustari on Jesus Gallardo handed Rayados the opportunity to equalize the game with a penalty. Rogelio Funes Mori stepped up, sending the ball into the arms of Ustari on the right. Two minutes later, a foul inside the box on the other end of the pitch saw Pachuca earn a penalty and Ibanez sealed the 4-2 lead. 

Ibanez topped it off with an extra time goal to secure his hat-trick and the 5-2 triumph. 

“It makes me angry and helpless for not being able to do some things that I would like to do,” said Vucetich reflecting on the hectic defeat. 

“I will do the analysis coldly and make the right decisions. We do the analysis later and we will draw conclusions. I will talk about it internally. From the penalty, it is part of soccer, it is failed or it can be put in. Armando Archundia is there and he saw everything, they are the ones in charge of reviewing what happens.”

On the other end, Pachuca head coach Guillermo Almada warned the team cannot underestimate Rayados ahead of the second leg on Sunday, claiming their opponents have “high-class players.”

“The series is not closed and Monterrey has high-class players,” he said. “We will attack when we have to and face the match as if it were even, we have a style and a way of seeing football and we are not going to change it. We will go with our humility and believe in what we are doing as we have been doing for almost a year.”

Monterrey will host the decisive second match, where they need just three goals to manage the draw and advance.